Donal's Irish farmhouse vegetable soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25g unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
• 2 leeks, sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 400g floury potatoes, diced
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 120g frozen peas
• Good drizzle of double (heavy) cream
• Good grating of fresh nutmeg
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and leeks and cook for 10 minutes until softened down. Season well.
2. Add the rest of the veggies and cook for a few minutes more, then pour in the stock. Season well and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes until the veggies are all tender, adding the peas for the last few minutes. Spoon out one-third of the veggies with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Blitz the rest of the soup with a stick blender until smooth, then remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved whole veggies.
4. To make the croutons, heat the oil and butter with the rosemary sprigs in a large pan. When hot, add the cubes of bread, toss well then cook for 5-6 minutes until golden and crisp on all sides. Season with sea salt.
5. Add the cream to the soup and a good grating of nutmeg and serve with the rosemary croutons.

Source: RTE Recipes - Donal Skeehan

Soup, Appetizers and Snacks